Lois Richer

I confess that my past experiences with some Love Inspired books have not been the most enjoyable for a number of reasons. I have especially dreaded reading ones that focus around children. Usually, these younger characters seem too perfect or deliver less-than-genuine lines. Knowing what this storyline is about from the beginning (a little girl who has a strained relationship with her father)…I confess (again) to some nerves going in.

I had my eye on a another book in this series, but I show more try not to read any series out of order if possible. So, I grabbed a copy of The Holiday Nanny, and I was hooked from the beginning. What an absolutely charming book! Silver captured my heart immediately, and Connie’s understanding and patience was just what Silver and Wade needed to restore their father-daughter relationship.

At the beginning, Connie and Wade had never met as his job required him to work overseas. When he returned home, he made no bones about telling Connie that there would be no possibility of romantic feelings between them, which she had no problem reciprocating. Connie’s history with men was unpleasant, plus she’s trying so hard to be reunited with a father that she hasn’t seen in 11 years. But slowly and delicately, these two hearts were drawn together in the most beautiful way, and I was near to tears by the end.

There are multiple references to God and His love for us that are perfectly placed throughout the book. Wade, slowly but surely, was able to open up his heart, and he and Connie both learned how important it is to trust God to work out all things for their good.

Yes, it was a little cheesy and had a great heartwarming ending as I expect from all Love Inspired books, but I loved it. I mean – REALLY loved it.

4.5 Stars

Originally reviewed at blissbooksandjewels.com show less

This book contains two unrelated stories (both are set at Christmas and a ranch favors prominently in each story). If I could rate the two stories individually, I would rate Arlene James' story a 4 and Lois Richer's a 3.

I really enjoyed Arlene James' "The Rancher's Christmas Baby". Rancher Dixon Lyons returns home one night to find his estranged mother has returned, bringing with her a baby and a Lenape woman. Dixon wrestles with his past feelings and beliefs and comes to have a show more relationship with his mother--and surprisingly, his father (and the family he now has) also accept her into their fold. (Too often these stories make the exes a point of contention in the plot.) I feel that Dixon changed and learned life lessons. I do feel the romance part of the story came on rather quickly to know if it truly was a life-long love had this happened in real life. Of course, in fiction, it's the author who decides if the characters stay together or break apart.

In contrast, Lois Richer's "Christmas Eve Cowboy" seemed to start off too slowly and I never seemed to care for her characters as much as I did for James'. I can understand another reviewer's point that too much time was spent on Elizabeth dwelling on her ex-husband's trashing of her self-esteem. Perhaps that wasn't the best choice for a short piece of fiction. In real life, that kind of tearing down probably takes years to repair--probably needing more than a friendly small town and one man who's learning to love you and a few short months to accomplish. I did like that Brett was so encouraging in pushing Elizabeth to do things she liked to do but had given up because of he ex's criticism.

I wish more page time had been given to how Brett resolved his conflicts of wanting to be a veterinarian/not wanting his father to give up the ranch that was his dream/wanting to take care of his father/not wanting to leave Elizabeth instead of just a quick sum up that tells us he's figured out a way to do a distance learning program (not quite sure how you do that for something as competitive as veterinary school, but--as I said above, it's fiction and the author can mold events to her/his liking.) show less

3.5 stars (note: some sites require a whole star rating so the rating may differ). I liked the characters. The cover image doesn't seem to reflect the male main character in the book since much is made of his scarred face and the man on the cover doesn't seem to have that--perhaps he is supposed to be the after they get married man who saw a plastic surgeon?

Rick Granger is a builder who is the guardian for his sister's twins. His scarred face came from trying to save his sister from her show more burning house--a house that he built, and a fire that he might be blamed for. He's trying to hold his business together while his business partner is out after surgery, trying to hold his life together as he deals with being a single parent to twins, trying to hold his faith together while he struggles to understand why his sister had to die, trying to hold his sanity together because he feels guilty for not saving his sister and because others blame him for the fire.

Penny Stern is a teacher turned daycare manager who'd love to have kids of her own but whose health may not allow that. She's got a strong faith and is learning to let God unveil his plan for her life. But she's bruised after two failed relationships.

Of course, there's the tried and true genre device of having the two main characters fall in love with each other when they "just can't be in love with the other person". Even after these two admit to themselves that they're in love with the other, they don't really voice it to each other--Penny I'm guessing doesn't want to be the first to say it and may be afraid of Rick rejecting her love. Rick thinks he's being kind by not saddling Penny with the knowledge that he loves her when he might go to prison for a long while if he's found at fault for the fire--but I think I'd have wanted to know.

The back cover blurb plays up the idea that Rick is offering a marriage in name only (without revealing the circumstances) because he needs a mother for the twins, and since it's a contemporary romance, I wondered why. (I can see it in historical times when there were more mores but in our contemporary times, it would seem she could be a nanny to the twins without having to marry the man.)

Also, there are three unwed (and I think young) pregnant women who start out living in a shelter. Two are ancillary characters whom we see only once or twice and who seem to want to keep their babies. The third struggles with what to do: keep the baby or put it up for adoption. This might make the book less suitable for younger readers unless parents welcome questions about these topics. show less

Dr. Jaclyn LaForge has returned to Hope, NM to set up a pediatric clinic in honor of her twin who died of leukemia just before high school graduation. Jaclyn went a little crazy at the time and damaged the church because God didn't answer her prayers. Now she wants to atone for that and give the children of Hope the medical care their rural community needs. Shortly after opening her clinic a fire from faulty wiring destroys it. Old friend, widower Kent McCloy offers to fix up his father's show more old law offices for the clinic, while Jaclyn bends over backward joining local groups to get the town to give her another chance. Both Kent and Jaclyn have personal guilt to overcome. This was heavily religious. It seemed to swing between encouraging the characters to leave everything in God's hands and then to encourage them to reach out and grab life and make their own fate. It came across as too pat and unbelievable. show less